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Brantford-Brant

Canadian-born author Joseph Boyden encouraged newly graduated Laurier Brantford students to strive for a balanced life when he spoke at their commencement ceremony Wednesday.

The Giller Prize winner, who served as Laurier's writer-in-residence this year, was presented with an honorary degree.

"Don't forget to live in the moment," he told the graduates gathered at the Sanderson Centre for the first of the day's two convocations.

"Don't let the dogged pursuit of money prevent you from each day taking some time for yourself and just breathe."

Clad in black gowns, each grad carried a silky sash of Laurier's purple, gold and white that was draped over their shoulders to officially mark their academic achievements.

Enrolment climbs every year at the campus, which graduated its first class in 2002 of just 12 students, dubbed Laurier Brantford's pioneers. On Wednesday, about 300 students crossed the Sanderson Centre stage to receive bachelor of arts degrees at morning and afternoon graduations.

At a ceremony on Tuesday, 113 new teachers received double degrees from Laurier and Nipissing University and 15 students were given master of education degrees from Nipissing.

Max Blouw, Laurier's president and vice-chancellor, said that, while commencement marks a day of great achievement, "failure is the best teacher.

"You have climbed one mountain. There are many more ahead," he said.

Boyden, who became the golden boy of Canadian lit when his debut novel, Three Day Road, was short-listed for the Governor General's Literary Award and his second, Through Black Spruce, won the prestigious Giller in 2008, joked with students about his dubious first attempts at book writing.

"You want to hear about failure? My first two attempts at novels were complete failures. The first was called Motorcycle Boy. Need I say more?

"Failure isn't dangerous. It's the fear of failure that is dangerous."

Boyden grew up in Willowdale and North York and has a mixed heritage of Irish, Scottish and Metis. When he won the Giller, he vowed to "always write about the First Nations."

Through Black Spruce is a contemporary tale following a Cree woman's search for her missing sister, as well as an account of how drugs and violence plague life on a Northern Ontario reserve.

Boyden, who teaches at the University of New Orleans and the University of British Columbia, makes several trips a year to northern Ontario.

One of those trips became a national media event last winter when he returned to isolated Fort Albany to speak at the annual Great Moon Gathering and brought with him Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip. The Hip performed a concert in the local high school gym to about 450 people.

"The event became a counterpoint to the tragic story emerging from another James Bay Cree community, Attawapiskat," said Jean Becker, senior adviser of aboriginal initiatives at Laurier.

"And a demonstration of Mr. Boyden's commitment to contribute to forging a new relationship between Canadian society and its original peoples.

"Because of Joseph Boyden's work many Canadians have heard and will continue to hear of the trials and triumphs that is the legacy and living world of Canada's aboriginal nations."